The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-04-30
FOREIGN spEouLAroRs.

FOREIGN sPECULAToRs.
me Policy Of the Land once Has Been
Not Go Discourage European Capital
hut 80 Force Capitalists Abroad TO In.
vest - Honestly.
Certain American citizens who
crossed the Atlantic not long ago with
the intention of selling In England or
Holland great slices of unimproved
land In our Territories have been
brought up with round turn by the
passage Of the so-callcd Alien Land
lords act. Ono of them was ex-Sena-
tor Stephen w. Dorsey, who is said to
have had several millions of acres to
sell, and whose elaborate dinners in
london. have attracted the attention OF
the Associated Press. Other Amcri-
cans have been Offering to foreign in
vestors trife of 10000. 00o acres (sr
two and one-half times the area Of the
State of New York; situated some
where in the wonderful Southwest,
where enormous ranches and bound
less Spanish grants grow from nothing
in a single night. But the foreigners
ardor has suddenly been chilled and
the American spectators have been
discouraged by the news that the
United States Government proposes to
keep the land for American citizens.
Our London correspondent says that
the English will not buy. They dis
play much anxiety concerning invest
ments heretofore made in American
lands and will take no more risks.
The largest company of negotiating
agents in Europe has resolved that it
will no longer deal in our Territorial
lands or securities. The act of Con-
market for American grants and
ranches has been cablcd to South
Africa, and probably to other col
onies, to make boom In real estate
there, upon the assumption that the
stream of English capital will be di-
verted from American grazing dis
tricts to lands under the protection of
British laws.
Possibly the Englishmen will not
suffer by reason of this new law. Ow-
ing to the activity of our General Land
Office the detection of almost innumer-
able cases of fraud on our public lands
promises to unsettle the "titles" of
some vast estates built up by fraudu-
lent entry. Even if the Alien Land
lords act were not on the statute book
the purchase of some of these exp anded
grants and ranches might be profit
less transaction. Even ex-senator Dor
sey's great ranch has been shorn of
some of its outlying principalities.
At the command of the President
he has taken down fifty miles of fence
by which he had inclosed great tract
to which he had no title. The expanded
Maxwell grant, so well known in Hol-
land, is still in the courts. Federal
officers are reporting every week ex-
panded Spanish grants for reclamation.
The large investment made by Scottish |
capitalists in Humboldt County. CAL.
is in danger, because the lands in ques-
tion were obtained by the boldest |
fraud, and the Government is prose-
cutting the thieves with the purpose of |
furnishing them and recovering the |
plumber.
Congress has very properly under
taken to prevent the establishment of
the landlord and tenant system of
Great Britain in our Territories. Too
many large tracts of land in the far
West are already held by English
peers. 1t was intended by those who
made our laws for the distribution
of public land that the land should
go into the hands of actual settlers
in small parcels. Their purpose has
been defeated in thousands of cases
by fraud. Possibly the Alien Landlord
bill would not have been passed if the
tracts now held by foreign capitalists
had not been procured fraudulently.
These capitalists or their agents have
induced unscrupulous citizens to COM
NIT the frauds by which their estates
have been created. or they have bought
the estates from citizens who fraudu-
lently took them from the public do
main.
We have land thieves enough of our
own, and they are sufficiently active,
eNcH WIcu tuey dfc iiot StiINuldIeu Dy
the use of foreign capital. The Gov
ernment is now striving. in the face of
great obstacles, to preserve for actual
settlers the remnant of our public lands
that has not been taken by syndicates
and spectators. These lands are
needed for the use of small farmers.
Foreign investors should understand
that the American people do not de-
sire to shut out European capital. but
propose that it shall be invested, if in
vested at all, honestly and in accord
ance with the spirit of our institutions.
They are not willing that it shall be
used to support those who steal public
land or for the establishment of vast
estates upon which Americen citizens
can live only as the tenants of a foreign
owner.-M Y. Times.
WANT TO SHAKE HIM.
The Republican Party Want to Get Rid
OF Blaine, But Don't Know Exactly